S4 mysterious slow coolant loss found :)

[arad85]

I'm not familiar with how you change the lower pulley, when you say they took the front off, that's more than just putting it in the service position I assume?

Yes, but remember they were in to fix water leak (that they weren't sure was the cause) plus change the pulley (which includes changing the belt). I just have a recollection of them saying they took the front off, but I can't now remember if that was this time it was at the tuners or the previous time when they had my car for ~4 weeks (I was the beta car for APR UK CREC engine testing).

No idea what "taking the front off" actually involves.

I measured mine when cold twice, once it was about 40% between min and max, now 2 months later it's just above min.

Sounds about the speed I was losing it at...

Would be interested in what the problem actually is when you do finally get this fixed. All I ended up finding out was that "the water pump needs replacing", which is pretty nondescript.

 

[Dippy]

Well I did check mine after a nice blast and it was good and hot. Coolant at the max level and no signs of a leak. When it was cold the level was perhaps a third above low. I do remember that after the last service and it was hot the level was max so it seems that my car is behaving itself

 

[V6_Man]

No sure how I missed this thread but glad I did as, as soon as I came across it I went straight out to check the coolant levels on mine and this is where it is sat:

IIRC, it was right in the middle between mine and max a couple of weeks ago but I could be well wrong. The car has not been driven since Saturday last week and I did notice that on my way back from reading I had to up the temperature in the car as it was blowing Luke warm air at 22*, it is usually nice and warm at this temperature. I immediately thought of checking the coolant and it was right at Max when I parked at night.

My question to you folks is should I top it up to Max or leave it as it is.

I have G13 ATM, which I bought earlier in the year for my B7. Still half a bottle left. I have to buy the distilled water from Halfrauds which I am going to get now.

What do you guys suggest?


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[scotty76]

@Tashfeen that's the sort of level when I top back up so I would. Also if you read my previous note, from cold top up to the max line is what the manual advises. I used G13.

 

[V6_Man]

@Tashfeen that's the sort of level when I top back up so I would. Also if you read my previous note, from cold top up to the max line is what the manual advises. I used G13.

Cheers @scotty76. It will be the second time in 2.4 years that I'll be topping it up. Never needed to. I have been through your thread as well as this one and I think the loss can be due to the fact the car has been sat most of the times and gets used occasionally. Just bought this from Halfrauds and have already got G13. I might get a new Coolant from TPS tomorrow morning as it is something they keep in stock. The bottle was opened almost 8-9 months ago so thinking it might not be suitable anymore

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[scotty76]

I bought official G13 pre mixed coz I'm lazy.

 

[V6_Man]

I bought official G13 pre mixed coz I'm lazy.

From Audi? Tis the one I have... It only came with butterflies though

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[scotty76]

From Audi? Tis the one I have... It only came with butterflies though

Ready mixed ...

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/152234335270

 

[V6_Man]

Ready mixed ...

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/152234335270

Cheers mate. Will order these just in case as I'll need to keep an eye on A3 as well


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[Dippy]

More important than topping up is to find out if it has a leak and if so how quickly it is leaking. If it really did drop from half to a quarter above min in a couple of weeks then that's a leak that needs to be fixed.

 

[fast-ferret]

More important than topping up is to find out if it has a leak and if so how quickly it is leaking. If it really did drop from half to a quarter above min in a couple of weeks then that's a leak that needs to be fixed.

A pressure test should expose any leak I imagine right? Whether in the pump or elsewhere?


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[youngsyp]

@TashfeenAlso if you read my previous note, from cold top up to the max line is what the manual advises.

I was about to ask "really?" but saw your post with the scan of the manual.
This is aimed at Audi, not you - that seems to go completely against the function of an expansion tank. And if you read the full page, it's also slightly contradictory, where it states when the engine is cold, the level "should be between the MIN and MAX marks. And when the engine is warm it may be slightly above the max level". If you filled it to the max level in the dead of winter, when the air temp is -10 degrees C, when the engine is warm, the level would be more than slightly above the max marker.
That page is full of ambiguity.

Paul

 

[V6_Man]

More important than topping up is to find out if it has a leak and if so how quickly it is leaking. If it really did drop from half to a quarter above min in a couple of weeks then that's a leak that needs to be fixed.

Dippy, whether last week or months ago I don't recall exactly when it was last checked tbh. However, it was definitely between or max-min or just below the middle. I have not been driving the car that much of the late.

I topped it up earlier today to just below the max mark and have done almost 90 odd miles since. I will take some out maybe in the evening when the engine is cold and monitor from there.


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[fast-ferret]

Cheers @scotty76. It will be the second time in 2.4 years that I'll be topping it up. Never needed to. I have been through your thread as well as this one and I think the loss can be due to the fact the car has been sat most of the times and gets used occasionally. Just bought this from Halfrauds and have already got G13. I might get a new Coolant from TPS tomorrow morning as it is something they keep in stock. The bottle was opened almost 8-9 months ago so thinking it might not be suitable anymore

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I just got some of the same water from Halfords, then I just thought to myself - should we be using distilled or deionized water? Or is questioning that a bit excessive?


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[V6_Man]

I just got some of the same water from Halfords, then I just thought to myself - should we be using distilled or deionized water? Or is questioning that a bit excessive?


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DI water is purer than Distilled as it removes higher percentage of minerals and is less conductive. However, both are suitable for mixing with coolant. However, I have seen people use tap water and some even rain water. And their cars are still running fine


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[rum4mo]

I agree with the above, and it really depends on where you live as to if using tap water is good enough.

I'd think in reality, the process to produce DI from mains water is cheaper to run and "proof check" using built in conductivity cell and meter, whereas distilled water needs a lot of energy to evaporate and then condense the pure H2O - once either of these "waters" is added to your cooling system even if you flushed it out using the same a few times, things would quickly turn back into the system having a low enough level of contaminates in it which will or should be kept in check by the chemical make up of the G12, G12+, G12++ or G13 concentrate.

 

[V6_Man]

Coolant levels after taking out some in the morning with a syringe (that comes with Infant Calpol ). I have quite a few that I have taken out from the syrups and use them for detailing mixes. Taught the kids to use spoons instead

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[rum4mo]

Syringes of many capacities are essential bits of kit to have available in your garage! For moving fluids and for blowing air etc.

Also handy for testing modern WC flushers, the types with the bellows - I know this, been there done that! (bring back simple and reliable syphon flushers)

 

[fast-ferret]

Coolant levels after taking out some in the morning with a syringe (that comes with Infant Calpol ). I have quite a few that I have taken out from the syrups and use them for detailing mixes. Taught the kids to use spoons instead

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How come you went to below max? I think the manual says to fill to the max, I may be mistaken..


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[V6_Man]

How come you went to below max? I think the manual says to fill to the max, I may be mistaken..

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I read the manual after topping up and I agree with what Paul @youngsyp has said above; It is contradictory. I filled it up to Max and then took out some as it was sat close to the Max when cold, which it shouldn't as per the manual. Its now sat exactly at the point as in the above picture, which I believe is where it should be.


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